Control fitting for liquefied petroleum gas tanks



Aug 1949. J. R. HO L|CER 2,478,760

'CONTROL FITTING FOR LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GAS TANKS Filed Sept 2, 1945 2Sheets-Sheet 1 John R. H011 cer IN V EN TOR.

1949- J. R. HOLICER 2,478,760

' CONTROL FITTING FOR LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GAS TANKS Filed Sept. 2, 19432 Sheets-Sheet 2 7 5 I 5 6' I V% :57

f 63 77 1 131 76 64 75 74 73 72 71 John Rh'oll'cer 55 INVENTOR. L e,

Patented Aug. 9, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CONTROL FITTING FORLIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GAS TANKS John it. Holic'er, Shreveport; La.Application Sept'eiriberZ, 1943; S'erial'No: 501,019 1 Cfa iiiif (c1.6'2" 1) This invention has todo with apparatus andmechanism forcontrolling andhandling lique fied petroleum gas, such asbutane andsimilar fuels.

It is"-pr'imarily a single fitting comprised of a removable control headcarrying specially designedand constructed control; fittings; and thiscontrolheadmay beinserted through the shell'of a closedpre'ssure vesseladapted to store anddis-r pen's' fuel of the character indicated.

The use of'thi's fitting makes necessary onlyone opening in the storagetank; and it dispenses with the necessity foran-yxdome', standpipe'orother extension of'the. pressure vessel-itself.

Aboveaii, the construction and disposition-of this fittin providesthemaximum of safety in handling the unstable, volatileandhighl-yi-nflam-- mable and explosiveliquefied-petroleum gases;

This application to be considered as'a conurination in part of myco-pending. application for patent" under Serial No.;492, 738,laterissued under Patent No. 2,386,554;

This" application is further; to be considered inconnection with myearlier BatentNo; 2,188,597, anlias'an"improvement thereon.

This appl-icationis-also tobe considered in connection with myco-pending application for patent 'undersrmi no. s'oijgozz whicn -wa-sfiled on the ame day as the in stant case; later issued under PatentNo.2146417 QionMarch 8, 1949; The-prior art in control fittings, carriedbyor associated with butane storage and dispensing tanks, is'bri'eflyoutlined-as follows:-- 7

The earlier'tanks' were provided with a number of separate fittings ofstock" design and old con struction'; ea'c'h sepa ately carried outsideof "the tank itself; and'us'ually each hada separate openingfor'attachin'gthe fitting to the-tank. 'For'the most' part, thesefittings were usually attachedseparately some" distance iron the tankby, fixing them into" separate tubular pipes.

extensions or stand- The result ofthis constru tion was to--provid'easeries of'pi'ps'eiitnding out of the ta nle-each carrying a-valveor:fitting and eacheasily broken off} so that numerous violentexplosionsand' fires resulted from leaks. and breakage? Also-such:construction greatly weakened the-wall or*shell" of the" pressure vesselcontaining-thei-uel;

Later theregrew up the practice of' providing one large standpipeor domeextending from the" tank. On the'outs'ide, and usual-ly the top side; ofthis extension, thecontrolvalyes-and'fittingswere separately screwedorbolted in-place.- Even ever; this'construction allowedj astrongersinglestahdpipe to be provided j and it did not verely weaken the shello f-the tank.

In all the prior art it appears that-the'fittings 2 v and controlapparatus were carried outside of the tank or outside of the dome-likeextension;

This meant that they were required to be built of very heavy materialswith stout walls and sufiicientlystrongto withstand the considerablepressure; exerted from; within the tank.

Theinstant invention eliminates at once all the dangers arising from theexternal disposition and placement of the heavy and. expensive fittings;andit eliminates-the dangers which arose when these fittings were brokenofi or damaged to the point ofleaking. W p

This invention provides and carries within the tank itself speciallydesigned fittings, dependingfrom a singlehead, which are suitablefor-filling the tank, removing its contents, gaging its' contents, andrelieving excess pressure therein;

gmong the obiectsofthisinvention are the following:

(a)" lfheprovision of-a single; one-piece; unitary fitting which mayberemovably inserted in a singl'e opening inthe tank wall.

(b) The provision of'passageways through thefittingadapted tocommunicate with valves de pendingtherebelow and carriedwithin the bodyof the tank;

(0) el iminationof extensions, valve parts or protuberances' outsidethetank, which, when crackedor broken oifl-create conditions of ex-'-treine danger andpresent'the' hazards offire and explosion.

(at) Thqdisposition of control valves and fit tings within the tank;(instead; of outside it), so"

tionaliz ed view ofa; liquefied petroleum gas storage tank havingmounted therein the control head and fittings'whichisth subject of'thi'sinventiono Fig lI aplan- View of the control head;- carry: ing. itsusualcomplement of fittings;

Figt III isa :sectionalized"elevation of the con:

Fig. Iv is a plan view taken amng the lin'c In making detailedreferences to the parts of this -device-sn own in the' drawing's, theyar mama-essay reference numerals; and nuiifer'al arrsyreo I shows aliquefied petroleum gas storage tank in which is mounted the controlhead assembly wherein the body of the head is designated as 2. This bodyhas shoulders 3 around its topmost part and is provided with threads 4on its lower end. It may be threaded into an opening in the tankprovided by a collar 5 set into the wall of the tank and there affixedby welding 6.0r other suitable means of attachment.

The head is provided with four vertical passageways therethrough; andthese are the fuel delivery passageway 1, the pressure relief passageway8, the filler passageway 9, and the gage passageway l0. Each of thesepassageways is provided with internal threads at both their upper andlower ends, except that the passageway ill need be provided with suchthreads only at its upper end. a

The filler passageway 9 has mounted therein filler adapter ll, providedwith shoulders for turning it, and its lower end threads into thepassageway, while its upper end is protected by a threaded filler cap I2having a gasket l3 therein.

This cap remains in place except when the tank is being filled. Then thecap is removed and in its place, a hose adapter (not shown) is screwedonto filler adapter II; and the hose adapter may carry a suitableflexible hose to connect with the truck delivery tank bringing freshliquid fuel.

It will be seen that the lower part of the control head body 2 passesthrough and comes to rest just within the tank wall. This installationis usually made in the top of the tank. Therefore, the lower extensionof the head is within the tank; and all fittings of every kind dependingfrom this head are within the tank itself.

Mounted in the top of passageway 1 there is a conventional hand-operatedshutoff valve 5|.

This valve is provided with a valve inlet channel communicating withpassageway I, so that fluid ascending the passageway may pass intothefact, it is rarely ever used, because it is desired that gas beavailable to the premises where consumed at all times. Usually thisvalve is operated only in an emergency; and even then it is not requiredthat it be closed to prevent the escape of fluid through passageway 1,because of the provision in the lower end of this passageway of theexcess flow check valve 55.

Valve is removably carried in the lower end of passageway 1; and itdepends entirely into the storage tank I. This valve is provided with achannel 56 and a valve seat 51; and immediately therebelow is anenlarged channel 58- carrying the valve thimble 59.

This thimble has an opening or several ports 60 through its side walls;and it is provided with an upper face 5| which comes to rest upon'valveseat 5'! whenever the valve is closed.

Normally there ascends through the excess flow check valve 55 sufficientfuel, either as liquid or gas, to supply the fuel demands of the,consumer; and the flow of this quantity of fuel is suflicient to liftthe thimble against the valve seat. However, should there occur a breakin line 54 or a considerable leak in any of the connections leading awayfrom the top of passageway I, such leak would be only momentary, becausethe sudden uprush of fluid into thimble 59 would be more than can bedischarged therefrom through ports 60 and the thimble would be liftedup, and be seated against valve seat 51, thus closing the valve.

Normally there is an equal pressure both above and below thimble 59 inthe passageways leading to and from this thimble, so that the thimble,by reason of its weight, remains at rest. When the pressure is suddentlyreleased above the thimble, as by the complete rupture of serviceconduit 54, thereafter the pressure on the top of the thimble would bevery low or even atmospheric; but storage tank I carries a considerablegas pressure at all times; and the preponderance of pressure in the tankwould immediately lift thimble 59 up against its seat and close thevalve.

To keep thimble 59 in its proper place, and to afford a rest therefor,and also to allow its removal and examination, and to allow cleaning ofvalve 55 when necessary, there is provided in the lower end of the valvethe adapter base 62, having'a channel 63 therein, which discharges itscontents into the thimble. Depending immediately-below the adapter baseis dip tube 54. This tube extends into the storage tank an appropriatelength, which is usually a point very close to the bottom of the tank.

Since liquid fuel fills the lower part of the storage tank, and the gasemanating therefrom accumulates in the upper part of the tank, then theextension of the dip tube 54 to a point near the bottom of the tankinsures that liquid fuel may be supplied upwardly through passageway Iat all times during the normal operation and use of this control headfor supplying and delivering fuel from the tank.

Ordinarily the liquid fuel flowing outwardly from the tank throughconduit 54 is carried to a device or chamber for vaporizing the liquidinto gaseous fuel.

However, should it be desired to withdraw the gas accumulating inthe topof tank I directly from the tank and conduct it to consuming appliances,without the intervention of any further vaporizing apparatus, then thiscan easily be done by simply removing and not using dip tube 64'. Whenthis tube is dispensed with, the gas vapor enters the channel 63 andpasses upwardly through valve 55 into passageway I from which it isdischarged through valve 5| to conduit 54.

The control head is provided with relief valve passageway 8, whichcarries removably. in the top thereof the screen bushing 65 which isfitted with a screen 65 to keep out insects and foreign materials frompassageway 8. The openings in screens 66 will allow full passage to theatmosphere of fluid discharged from relief valve 61 which is removablycarried in the lower end of this passageway.

Valve 6'! depends entirely within tank I; and it is constructed of lightweight materials and has thin walls, because its disposition in the tank,(instead of outside it) causes equal pressure on the walls, bothexternally and internally, whenever this valve relieves. When it is innormally closed position, the pressure'of the tank is exerted againstthe outside walls of the valve; and this valve, being in effect acylinder, will not be crushed or distorted by this pressure.

Safety relief valve 61 has a head 68, which is threaded into passageway8, and a valve body Ill depcczlnding below and removably attached to thebee.

Relief channel 69 within the valve communicates at alltimes withpassageway 8; and it like- Wise communicates with the tank when .thevalve Y is openedand fluid passes into the valve through inlet 1|.

Around .this inlet there is arranged valve seat the valve body whichhouses it, so as to -provide.-

passageway for fluid ascending around the plunger; .or itI-may begivenanother shape. For

instance, it .can be made hexagonal, and .such design will allow amplepassageways between the exteriorof the plunger and the wall of the valvebody. This fluid passage space is indicated by numeral -15.

A spring guide '16 is provided in the plunger, and the base of spring T|rests therein. The

tension of the spring is adjusted so that the valve I may be set torelieve at a given and desired pressure ;.and for this purpose there isprovided spring adjusting disc 18, which may be carried within the valvebody by being screwed therein.

Openings Mare provided in this disc for the 4 upwardflpassage ofdischarging fluid. The adjusting-disc also provides spring guide 80 inwhich the upper end of the spring is placed.

Whenever excess pressure builds up in the storage tank beyond thatdesired, this pressure finds relief through valve inlet H by lifting upthe plunger against the springand passing upwardand outwardthrough thevalve and through passageway 8 and through screen 66 to the atmosphere.Immediately after such relieving action by the valve, spring Tlinstantly closes the valve. No part of the valve or its operatingmechanism is outside the tank or above the control head. It dependsbelow the head and within the tank, where it is safe from tampering orbreakage.

The advantages of this control head are obvious, in light of the objectshereinabove set out and the details of its construction given. Itsoperation has been indicated, but is more completely stated as follows:

When it is desired to fill the tank cap I2 removed, and a hose connectoris attached instead, carrying .the delivery hose, through which liquidfuel may be pumped into the tank. Fuel may also be allowed to flow intothe tank [by-gravity. In.

any event, the weight of the liquid fuel or the pressure of the pumpwill efiect the opening of filler valve l4 and allow the tank to befilled.

In the eduction of liquid through the fuel passageway 1 so that it maybe carried by conduit 54 to appropriate vaporizing mechanism (notshown), the liquid eduction tube 64 is filled with fuel by reason of thegas pressure within the tank, and this liquid flows upwardly through theexcess flow check valve 55, which valve remains normally open unless theconduit 54 or some of its fittings breaks or leaks, whereupon a greaterquantity of the liquid than is required attempts to escape; but this isprevented by the action of this check valve.

In the check valve the thimble 59 has ports or openings 60 through itswalls. Normally surficient liquid flows through the valve and the portsin the thimble to supply the needs of the vaporizer; but where a greaterthan normal discharge of fluid arises from a break in the line or othercause, then the ports in the thimble will not carry the increased volumeof moving fluid. The result is that the velocity in the fluid movementwhich can =be-closed in order to change or or repair the conduit .54 .orany of "thee-fittings,

picks .up the cthimble .and throws it against the: roof of its housingand causes it tqficeme toirest on a specially prepared valve seat which[it fengages. This action :closes the line "and preventsthe further esca.Of fluid, When :the shutoil' valve is closed there will be aninfinitesima ;lea-l3;

of fiuid from the tank into passageway .5! which will equalize thepressure-and cause the .thimble,

to drop'back into its normal place.

The weight of the-thimble determines its re actionto the velocity andvolume of the escap ing fluid, and likewise conditions ,its early orlate returnto its normal Thimblesof difierent weights may be provided,so. that they will respond quicker tin-slower inches}:-

ingthe -.esca pting fluid. When .an installation is made underconditions, which demand animusuall-y heavy flowof fuel atall-times,thethimble is, weighted to allow the normal passage [of this largervolume.

Above the liquid eduction passageway .isqproa vided aconventionalrhand.operated shutofi-valve, which ordinarily remains open.at all -tim.es,;,;but

and equipment associated with it -.or -.to, which it leads. 1

This conventional-:shutofi valve isnot made the subject of any special.disclosure herein nor of any claimsgin its construction, ,becausetitisaa o k i em and :well known... ;'It is -not;-necessary to -the usual.and normal operation of .the .system in which this .control head isemployed, except, in those rare intervals when the system is-temporarily closeddown, .asexplained :above.

Because of the instant, positive and automatic operation of the excessflow check valve, there is no danger in the, operation of this controlhead withoutthe use-of the shutofi valve. Shculchthe shutoif valve be.brokenofi from the head, there. will "be ;no escape .of fuel ;from thetank, because of the immediate; closure of the excess flowcheck; valve.

:If' it is desired :to withdraw liquid-fuel from; a

separate and small opening :at or near .thegbote tom of the ;fuel.storage tank, appropriatearrangement :cantbe made .to effect this object;and-inf such ,case, the fuel delivery passageway is simply: plugged upandsnot used. In this event, however, it is desirable to still have thebottom end :of this passageway carry the .excesspflow. check valve (withor without the liquid eduction pickup :pipe). so :that no fuel -.willescape through :this passage if the plug is inadvertently removed.

This head may be readily used in a butane system where it is desired towithdraw gas (not liquid) directly from the top of the storage tank andconduct it to apparatus for further vaporization, and thence to theburners. In order to do this, it is only necessary to remove and not usethe tube ordinarily depending below the excess flow check valve. Gaswill then flow through the fuel delivery passageway and the conduit tothe place of consumption.

The safety relief valve 61 depending below the relief passageway 3 issimplicity itself. Whenever pressure increases in the tank above apredetermined safe operatin pressure, the valve disc lifts oif of itsseat because the excess pressure overcomes the normal resistance of thevalve spring; and thus relief of the excess pressure is effected.Adjustment of the pressure at which this valve will relieve is made byturning the ads 7 position by gravity when. the leak is fixed and normal.operation is resumed, n

c ean jiisting disc to the desired position for compressing the spring.

"The screen provid d in the upper end of the relief passageway is merelyfor the purpose of keeping foreign materials and insects out of thispassage. I

-The control head and its complement of fittingsmay be fully assembledand completely tested at the factory whereit is made. Then it may besent out to the field or the assembling plant where it can be installedin the fuel storage tank by the most inexperienced workman, who caneasily do the job by performing one operation. He simply inserts thehead in a threaded opening in the top of the storage tank and makes itup with a large wrench. Then there is nothing more to do except connectup the fuel service conduit to the hand-operated shutoff valve.

Likewise this control head and all its fittings can be easily andquickly removed by unscrewing it out of the tank. Inspection of the tankand its contents at any time, for clean-out or other purposes, istherefore easy.

Also the inspection of the valves and fittings, depending below thehead, for cleaning and repair is simple and convenient.

One of the greatest advantages of this device is the carrying of thevalves and fittings below the head and within the tank itself where theyare exceptionally well protected.

A saving in cost, labor and materials results also from the fact thatthe valves and fittings depending below the head and in the tank can bemade of relatively light construction, because they are not subjected tointernal pressure within their bodies which could rupture them, as wouldbe the case if they were attached to the tank externally.

The design and construction of this head and its depending fittings makethis an extremely safe control device for handling the inflammable andexplosive liquefied petroleum gases. These fittings inside the tankoperate to close and efiectively prevent the escape of fluid from thetank, even though the parts and extensions above the head itself arebroken off, each and all. This is an advantage of utmost importance. Itis impossible to damage the fittings depending below the control headwithout first rupturing the tank. No better protection can be giventhese valves and fittings.

The design and construction of this head and its depending valves havethe further advantage of providing a control fitting in which mistakesin manufacture in one part of the fitting, such as in the threads, seatsor other parts of a valve carried by the head, do not result in spoilageor loss of the entire fitting; as an entirely new valve can besubstituted for one thus damaged in the process of manufacture. This isnot the case in a head in which the threads, seats or other parts of thevalve carried by the head are constructed as parts of the head orcarrying member itself.

There is removably secured in head 2 bushing member 30. There isslidably ounted through member 30 a slip tube 3| which i held in itsnormal position of complete inserti n by a cap 50.

I claim:

In apparatus for controlling liquefied petroleum gas, a fitting arrangedto be removably attached to a tank, the fitting being provided with apassageway therethrough; an excess fiow check valve carried by thefitting and including a body portion having therein an enlarged channelcommunicating with the passageway; a valve seat within the channel; amovable member comprising an inverted thimble arranged within thechannel and constructed to cooperate with the walls thereof to providepassage means around the thimble, said thimble being of such weight asto be movable against the seat only by an excess flow of fluid throughthe channel, and said weight being sufficient to provide the sole meansfor causin the thimble to return to its normal position when the flow isagain normal.

JOHN R. HOLICER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:,

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,121,675 White June 21, 19382,145,925 Geisel Feb. 7, 1939 2,172,311 Thomas Sept. 5, 1939 2,179,144Buttner Nov. 7, 1939 2,188,597 Holicer Jan. 20, 1940 2,214,713 WhiteSept. 10, 1940 2,290,038 Folmsbee July 14, 1942 2,322,660 Parsons June22, 1943 OTHER REFERENCES ,Handbrook of Butane-Propane Gase revisedsecond edition, copyrighted 1938, pages 6, 97, 98, 99 and 105, reliedon.

